author of more than a dozen books for kids & teens
09 Dec 2014 1 Comment
in News
Lucky me!
Friends, Andrea and David Spalding dropped by today for a delightful, although short visit. Here is the wonderful little present Andrea made for me. Than
k you Andy!
As you can see, Andrea has numerous creative talents aside from writing wonderful books. I will treasure these beautiful little earring books. They depict the covers of my first two picture books; both of which are still in print.
07 Dec 2014 Leave a comment
in News
2014 NIGHTLIGHT READING WRITERS CONTEST
Nightlight Reading is requesting submissions for their 2014 Nightlight Readings Short Story Writers Contest. It’s geared to at-risk boys in the 10-12 year age group who often stop reading for pleasure. Their goal is to fund and promote literature that appeals to boys and keeps them engaged and reading.
The 2014 CONTEST THEME is ADVENTURE.
MAXIMUM COUNT of 5,000 WORDS.
JUDGING
The 2014 contest entries will be pre-screened and read by a jury panel who may be scholars, librarians, teachers, and special guests who will decide on 10 semi-finalists. Then, a jury of young readers selected from our target readers will read all 10 entries and vote on the winners.
PRIZES
First Prize: $1,000 award plus certificate and publication of the story.
Second Prize: $500 award plus certificate and publication of the story.
Third Prize: $300 award plus certificate and publication of the story.
All award winners will be publicized nationally by Nightlight Reading.
RULES
Open to anyone who loves to write stories for boys, and may be a professional writer, student or budding writer.
Submissions must not have been previously published or won any other writing contest. Simultaneous submissions to other contests are acceptable.
DEADLINE
Deadline for submission for the 2014 contest is December 31, 2014 so get writing!
Enter: http://www.nightlightreading.org/contest-entry-form/
Good luck!
06 Dec 2014 1 Comment
in News
Hurray! My trip to the Northwest Territories is back on track. I’ll be heading out Feb. 8 and returning home Feb. 17. Yellowknife, Gameti, and Inuvik are the three communities on my itinerary. I’ve borrowed a warm coat and am ready to go!
07 Oct 2014 Leave a comment
in For Educators, for teens, News Tags: Alexander Grigg-Burr, Helaine Becker
I’ve always been a fan of Helaine Becker’s nonfiction and her picture books, but I was intrigued when I heard she had a new fantasy novel in the works.
Incorporating graphic novel elements illustrated by Alexander Griggs-Burr, and set in an alternate dystopian world, Becker hinges the turning point of Gottika on a character straight out of a Jewish legend, a Gol. These are magical creatures made from clay and earth and brought to life by powerful charms are charged with protecting against oppression. These incongruent elements come together to create a fabulous read enhanced by Griggs-Burrs visuals.
The story begins with fifteen year old Dany yearning for relief from the oppression of Count Pol’s reign. But, he is too young to know how to bring it about. As a Stoon, he, his family, and his friends are nothing more than second class citizens subject to the brutality of Gottika City’s Guards. Dany can’t understand why his father, a respected elder, doesn’t do more to stop the tyranny. Instead of acting, his father hides behind closed doors with the few books the officials have allowed him to keep.
Dany seethes with frustration that is further fueled by a father who treats him like a child and a mother whose secret past haunts her. Pol’s increasingly brutal actions force Dany’s father to take a stand, but not in a way that Dany had ever imagined. His father creates and breathes life into a Gol. The Gol is charged with protecting their people, but when his father is imprisoned and slated for execution, even the Gol can’t help, Dany must act to stop Count Pol.
Gottika is the perfect mashup that results in a great read; one that kept me awake until I turned the last page.
07 Oct 2014 Leave a comment
in News
The Governor Generals’ 2014 shortlist for Children’s Literature has been announced. Congratulations everyone. Find the full short list here.
Children text:
The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier (Puffin)
Jeremy Stone by Lesley Choyce (Red Deer Press)
Skraelings by Rachel and Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley (Inhabit Media Inc.)
When Everything Feels like the Movies by Raziel Reid (Arsenal Pulp Press)
This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki (Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press)
Children illustrated:
Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin, illustrated by Qin Leng, text by Chieri Uegaki (Kids Can Press)
Once Upon a Memory, illustrated by Renata Liwska, text by Nina Laden (Little, Brown and Company)
Julia, Child, illustrated by Julie Morstad, text by Kyo Maclear (Tundra Books)
This One Summer, illustrated by Jillian Tamaki, text by Mariko Tamaki (Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press)
04 Oct 2014 Leave a comment
in For Educators, For Kids, For Parents, Picture Book Reviews Tags: Dean Griffiths, Emily Carr, Monica Kulling, Pajama Press
Monica Kulling’s When Emily Met Woo is a perfect introduction to one of Canada’s most famous artists, Emily Carr. Young readers will find an engaging story, a brief history, some of Ms. Carr’s most famous images and the charming illustrations of the very talented Dean Griffiths.
Monica Kulling paints a vivid picture of Emily Carr’s life in simple, direct language. Emily is thought to be a “strange bird” whose art no one wants. “To make a living, she [Emily] made and sold clay bowls and hooked rugs.” The painter was known as an eccentric who housed a menagerie of animals, including a monkey she called Woo. The depth of love Emily feels for her animal companions is clear when Woo becomes gravely ill. Fortunately, Woo makes a full recovery and accompanies Emily to the forest where “Cedars touched the sky. They touched the painter’s heart too.”
I especially like the design of the dust jacket. The front cover integrates a photograph of Carr and Woo within the illustration while the back cover features several of Carr’s paintings as well Griffiths illustration of Woo.
Picture book biographies are difficult to write well, but Pajama Press, Monica Kulling and Dean Griffiths all get top marks with When Emily Carr Met Woo.
03 Oct 2014 Leave a comment
in For Kids Tags: community, free little library
These neighborhood kids rode over after school yesterday to choose a book.
04 Sep 2014 Leave a comment
in News
Check out some of the fabulous books on these short lists. I wish they could all be winners. The pile of books by my bed is about to get higher!
24 Aug 2014 Leave a comment
Picture Book Writing Contest
Sadly, Canadians can’t take part in the Lee & Low Books New Voices Picture Book Writing Contest, but if you live south of the border, and are a writer of color, this is a good one…a cash prize of $1,000 is a bonus to the real prize, which is a publishing contract.
Deadline: 09-30-2014
To recognize the talents of children’s picture book authors, Lee & Low Books (est. 2000) is inviting U.S.-based authors of color to submit manuscripts (up to 1500 words) to its 15th Annual New Voices Award for a chance to win a cash prize of $1,000 and a publishing contract with the company.
A second-place winner will receive $500.
The judges accept unagented, original, unpublished children’s stories only. Categories include fiction, poetry, and non-fiction appropriate for kids, ages 5-12.
Submissions should focus on the necessities of children of color and engage young readers with relatable stories. You can submit up to two entries per application.
Sheryl McFarlane 